IBM signs new agreement with Unilever to provide global Finance and Procurement Services

Select a topic or year

LONDON, UK
-
20 Dec 2012:
IBM (NYSE: IBM) today announced it has won a finance and procurement outsourcing contract with Unilever worth more than $175 million, which will provide a truly global procure to pay service to over 70 countries. In addition, the scope of this five-year agreement includes record to report services for the Northern Hemisphere.

The agreement extends the existing strategic relationship established between Unilever and IBM in 2005.

The agreement will improve and sustain best practices for Unilever with globally standardized financial and procurement services. Over the course of the contract, IBM will continue improving the quality of services provided to Unilever allowing the company to enhance its business agility and scalability while continually enhancing its service to customers.

Unilever is known for its products and services that meet everyday needs for nutrition, home and personal care with brands that help people feel good, look good and get more out of life.

Both parties have also signed a strategic partnership agreement that sets out a clear framework of how IBM will help Unilever achieve its business and sustainability goals. As part of the agreement IBM will look for ways to apply its innovative business offerings toward additional areas of the Unilever business. The agreement includes offerings from all areas of IBM’s portfolio of products and services, including hardware, software and global services. In addition, the agreement is a key element of Unilever’s Partner to Win program: creating closer collaboration with preferred suppliers to help Unilever grow and expand the business.

“Through this agreement, we reinforce our commitment to transform Unilever into an increasingly flexible, agile, and competitive global company,” said Jean-Stéphane Payraudeau, Vice President IBM Global Process Services. “Building on years of successful partnership, we are delighted to continue this journey as the new global Procure to Pay partner while continuing to provide and transform our existing services.”

“If we are to achieve the continuous improvement we need to help the business remain competitive and to reach our goal of doubling the size of our business while halving our environmental impact, we need leading-edge financial services,” said Christian Kaufmann, Vice President Finance Services Unilever. “We carried out a competitive tendering process to achieve a ‘best-in-class’ solution and now look forward to working with IBM as a strategic partner.”